All Blog Posts (9)

One of the things that I struggled with as a minister of a local church, was keeping the distinctiveness of the different seasons of the church year. It felt that although we called it ‘Advent’, often it was simply Christmas come early. And the same was true of Holy Week. It was hard to resist the pull of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen from the outset of the week. However, I persevered, and while, at the Good Friday Walk of Witness, I could understand the need to express something… Continue

I included the following in my blog the other day but thought it was worth sharing with CBA Ministers as well. It happened in the context of our prayers as National Settlement Team and Regional Minister Team Leaders' Meeting: Over the three days we pray together and on Wednesday one of my colleagues, Phil, led us in a characteristically creative and inspired reflection. We thought about John 11 and the death and resurrection of Lazarus, and went on… Continue

This morning we held one of our theological reflection groups for newly accredited ministers. I look forward to these occasions as they are a good group of reflective practioners and invariably I come away enriched. Sometimes I will provide some input, or we will invite someone in to speak on an issue, but also the ministers themselves are invited to contribute a paper on an aspect that they are exploring or raise an issue for discussion. Today we thought about the 'advantages and drawbacks for… Continue

Just to let you know that I've recently begun my own blog, Wonder and Wondering, and you can find it here. I've been thinking about doing one for a long time, but CBA Ministers gave me the opportunity to dip my toes, and now I've begun. Take a visit and leave a comment. Continue

Moved by a quote from Walter Wink's book, 'Interpretation', which appears in the latest BMF Journal. I only wish I had the Journal sooner for preaching on the Transfiguration last Sunday ! Transfiguration: the pivot between Epiphany and Lent 'Transfiguration is living by vision: standing foursquare in the midst of a broken, tortured, oppressed, starving, dehumannized reality, yet seeing the invisible, calling it to come... The beyond shines out in our midst - on the way to the Cross'. Continue

On Saturday I went to a workshop on Godly Play. It needs to be experienced to do it justice, but in short it is an imaginative way of telling Bible stories to children, using both play and structure and inviting a response in the form of 'wonderings'. A key premise is that a child is not a pot waiting to be filled - the pot is not empty and the task of the adult is to help find out what's inside. This is of a piece with the attitude shown by Jesus to children.

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Happy new year, or if that’s a bit late happy Epiphany!

Over the Christmas and new year I did a few of my favourite things: watched some films

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Mike Pons passed me this about Gorsley Baptist Church Leaders Day, Tuesday 12 February 2008

"We would like to invite you to our next Leaders Day with Greg Haslam from Westminster Chapel. Please find attached a flyer with further details about the day.

If you would like to book places for the day or would like further details please contact me by email or phone at Gorsley Church office on 01989 7203

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"John Coltraine , the jazz saxophonist, is famous all over the world for his beautiful music. The interesting thing about Jazz is that, more than any other kind of music , every performance is unique. One night, Coltraine performed ‘A Love Supreme’, one of his most famous pieces, and as he played, every last ounce of his skill and musicianship seemed to come together in an absolutely magical performance. Just that one

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